At the beginning of the novel the King disliked Adler for blackmailing her, and now he simply applauds her, stating that she would ‘have made an admirable queen’. Without a doubt there is a lot of admiration in Doyle’s novels not only from Watson and Sherlock, but also from the King of Bohemia. Subsequently, one of the main themes for A Scandal in Bohemia is admiration. “From what I have seen of the lady, she seems, indeed, to be on a very different level to your Majesty,” said Holmes coldly. “Did I not tell you how quick and resolute she was? Would she not have made an admirable queen? Is it not a pity that she was not on my level?” This sets a definite trend for his later merciful treatment of (admittedly non-female characters) John Turner in "The Boscombe Valley Mystery" and James Ryder in "The Blue Carbuncle.“What a woman – oh, what a woman!” cried the King of Bohemia, when we had all three read this epistle. Holmes's respect for wrongdoer Irene Adler's unconventional honor and grace demonstrates Holmes's highly personal sense of morality and fairness. The King of Bohemia is so rough in his efforts to recover the photograph that, even though he's technically the victim in the story, he seems to us to be the shabbier one by the end of it –"'From what I have seen of the lady, she seems, indeed, to be on a very different level from your majesty,' Holmes coldly" (Bohemia. He's also really chivalrous (read: he emphasizes courtesy towards women). Holmes appreciates intelligence, creativity, and vivacity. Second, even though Adler's conduct has not been perfect – after all, she is kind of a blackmailer – Holmes's admiration sets up the unusual moral tone that runs through the remaining stories. And that's that: the formula of cold-fish-Holmes and married-to-a-mostly-invisible-wife-Watson is born on the first page of the first Sherlock Holmes short story. Thus, Conan Doyle raises the possibility of such a romance – "In eyes eclipses and predominates the whole of her sex" (Bohemia.1.1) – only to destroy it right away and forever by noting, "It was not that he felt any emotion akin to love for Irene Adler" (Bohemia 1.1). Adding love interests would totally distract from the mystery plots that are the whole point of the stories.
THE ADVENTURES OF SHERLOCK HOLMES BOOK THEMES SERIES
After all, the only emotional continuity in the series focuses on the friendship between Holmes and Watson, a necessary plot point to keep Holmes together with the guy who's copying down his adventures. Adler proves him wrong on the point of women's intelligence, but the larger issue of Holmes's complete lack of interest in romance remains.Īs we discuss in Holmes's "Character Analysis" his whole cold fish thing actually makes it easier for Conan Doyle to create a bunch of self-contained, only loosely related episodes for the magazine The Strand to publish.
First, given that Holmes never speaks of "the softer passions, save with a gibe and a sneer" (Bohemia.1.1), he seems to assume that women aren't capable of the degree of rational thinking he expects from, say, himself. In fact, Adler manages to outsmart him entirely, and to sail away from the country with her new husband in tow.Īdler's presence in "A Scandal in Bohemia" is less important for her own sake as a character than for what she allows Conan Doyle to emphasize about Sherlock Holmes. Adler, Holmes does fail to get the picture back from her. While the photograph remains safe, thanks to a promise from Ms. The King of Bohemia hires Holmes to try and recover an unfortunate photograph of the pair – he doesn't want it to reach his soon-to-be-bride before he gets married. We don't actually find out that much about Irene Adler as a person: she's a contralto singer and a general lady about town who, after some kind of affair with the King of Bohemia, has retired to London. Irene Adler only appears in one of Conan Doyle's dozens of stories, but Watson takes care to point out that she remains a significant character in Holmes's personal history nonetheless.
Minor Characters in "The Copper Beeches"Īh yes, "to Sherlock Holmes is always the woman" (Bohemia.1.1).Minor Characters in "The Beryl Coronet".Minor Characters in "The Noble Bachelor".Minor Characters in "The Engineer's Thumb".Minor Characters in "The Speckled Band".Minor Characters in "The Blue Carbuncle".Minor Characters in "The Man With the Twisted Lip".Minor Characters in "The Five Orange Pips".Minor Characters in "The Boscombe Valley Mystery".Minor Characters in "A Case of Identity".Minor Characters in "The Red-Headed League".Minor Characters in "A Scandal in Bohemia".Contrasting Regions: London and the Countryside.